Video Footage of Shaolin Monk Shi Yan Jue (释延觉)
Venerable Yan Jue is a ‘Dharma Protector’ at the Shaolin Temple in Henan province, Mainland China. His post involves setting the highest example through correctly following the Vinaya Discipline, and ensuring that all other monks (and lay people) behave whilst resident in the temple, and when outside the temple. Whatever the outcome of the Xu Xiaodong affair (following Shi Yan Jue’s ‘challenge’ to this MMA fighter who recently ‘defeated’ a Taijiquan practitioner), this footage serves as important historical information. Originally uploaded onto YouKu – it was then uploaded by Chinese speakers onto Youtube – primarily to be watched by Chinese people living in the West. However, in its ‘pure’ Chinese cultural form, it will be of interest to those Westerners who sincerely practice traditional Chinese martial arts, and who have sacrificed much throughout their lives to do so. The message from China is one of sincere and eternal gratitude for keeping the traditional Chinese martial arts alive in foreign countries, despite all the political, cultural and social pressure that is brought to bear, to have these arts arbitrarily ‘changed’ to suit anti-Chinese attitudes, or conform to ignorance of those who do not possess any real understanding. Like Shi Yan Jue – the important point to training is ‘daily renewal’, where we as traditional Chinese martial artists get up each day and start anew – aligning, relaxing, breathing deeply, and moving correctly with the early morning breeze!
©opyright: Adrian Chan-Wyles (ShiDaDao) 2017. |